Unleashing children’s potential: An evidence-based narrative review of strategies to enhance cognitive function and intelligence in school-age children

Table 7 Psychosocial factors, mechanisms, cognitive domains, and intervention strategies in school-age children

Psychosocial factor	Underlying mechanisms	Cognitive/executive domains affected	Evidence-based intervention strategies
Parental responsiveness	Stress buffering (reduce cortisol); prefrontal-limbic regulation; enhanced attentional engagement	Attention regulation, working memory, and emotional self-regulation	Parenting-skills training; responsive caregiving coaching; positive parenting programs
Parent-child verbal interaction	Language network activation; synaptic enrichment; vocabulary expansion	Language skills, verbal working memory, comprehension	Daily parent-child conversation; dialogic interaction training
Shared reading	Narrative processing; inferential reasoning; executive engagement	Language development, sustained attention, and metacognition	Dialogic reading programs; structured home reading routines
Cognitive scaffolding	Guided problem-solving; executive skill internalization	Planning, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility	Parent coaching in scaffolding techniques; guided learning activities
Home cognitive stimulation	Experience-dependent neuroplasticity; enriched learning exposure	General intelligence; executive function; academic achievement	Home-based enrichment programs; access to books and educational materials
Emotional warmth and support	Secure attachment; autonomic regulation; stress resilience	Executive control; emotional regulation; learning readiness	Attachment-based parenting interventions; family support services
Consistency and structure	Predictability; habit formation; executive stability	Attention; self-regulation; task persistence	Establishing routines; structured home schedules
Reduced cognitive stressors	Lower chronic stress; improved neural efficiency	Working memory; processing speed	Family stress-reduction programs; psychosocial support